Re:Prior art (Was:...patent system failure) (Score 1)

The window may be arbitrarily selected. For example, the decade could begin with the 1950's and end with the 2040's, or it could begin with the 1980's and end with the 2070's.

(Thanks for picking that out GnrcMan)

What if we use the dates starting with 1900 and ending with 2000? Doesn't this "window system" already exist in ALL applications that allow you to use a two digit year? Even if the app isn't Y2k complient, if you type in "99" it assumes that you mean 1999 not 99 AD. Abstractly speaking, this window system already is in common use -- and in a certain sense caused the Y2k problem in the first place!

What foolishness to try and patent this!

Anybody here every write a check to pay for that new UltraWidget6000? Did you date the check with '99? You implicitly used a window system. The cashier knew what you meant and nobody from here to the bank will misunderstand.

Maybe you used a credit card instead: my credit card expires in "01/01". The same window system is implicit. There is no misunderstanding that the year it expires is 2001, not 1901 and not 1 AD.

This is painfully obvious and makes me sick.

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